Today is Bella’s 9th Birthday. And truth be told she’s a real sore loser. That’s one of my favorite parts about her.She has heart.She plays HARD.She works HARD.No need to yell at her.She’s already screaming at herself (or her teammate in her head). But jeez Louise.Sometimes I can’t stand the moping. “Bella,” I say.”Do you love softball?””Yes,” she says. “You know I do.””Then stop with all the moping.” I say.”It’s just that. . .” And “It’s just that. . . .” she murmurs, pouting and kicking the dirt. Read more […]

(Winner announced below)Camera at the ready.My hand cupped the lens. My eye peering through the view finder, searching. Searching.Where is she?I let the camera strap rest around my neck as the camera dangles and I look for her.There she is.Green and white striped shirt. Her back to me. Walking away . . . . down the corridor. Walking away from me.”Shelbi!” I yelled.She turned around and looked at me, but only for a second.Quickly, she swung her head back around and weaving herself into the massive Read more […]

Today is last day that I will be 36.And I’ve got to tell you, I’m feeling pretty fancy in my pants.I’ve made a few revelations within the past few days, and I’m thinking this whole growing up thing is really rather a good idea.1.) I am beneath no one.I am just as wonderful and horrible as the next guy, and this has been a bit of an epiphany for me. To me it means, no more excuses, no need to explain myself. This girl, this woman who stands here, typing on her laptop is OKAY. Better than okay, Read more […]

She caught her!!!!!! This month it’s been sports, sports, sports, sports, sports. The end of some sports, the continuation of others, and the beginning of more. It has had us in a bit of a tizzy, with not much time to rest between outings. But deep down in my gut I know all the flurry is worth the trouble. This is the only time in their lives where they can play until their hearts are content. And if they do it now, when they’re my age Read more […]

On Friday we cleaned out the guest bedroom, making way for Christmas cheer and holiday guest (Nana) and cleaned up the house a bit.Saturday, we watched True Blood in bed until 9 am, watched two soccer games, and then pulled out the Christmas lights and started hanging. Don’t worry, we won’t turn them on until Thanksgiving weekend. We ate Chinese (from the freezer). And my kids loved me for it. Then after they went to bed, I made a Butterscotch Bread Pudding (coming soon) poured myself and Warwick Read more […]

I don’t even know why I’m mad anymore.Maybe it’s because everybody always blames everything on me. Right now, I should be calling my husband on the phone but I’m a little ticked off. He left this morning without kissing me, and that is no way to start your day off. A kiss from me could cure world hunger, create world peace. I’m just sayin’.Anyway it’s probably because I yelled at him. Because he said my daughter could get crabs.Him: Does Shelbi have on those new jeans we bought this weekend? Me: Read more […]

We went to the beach this week for a mini-vacation and one last hoo-rah before school starts. We thought we’d surprised the kids like they do in the Walt Disney commercial. The kids wake up on Christmas morning, open their presents. . .and then the parents announce “We’re going to DISNEYLAND!!!!” And everybody starts screaming and crying and the whole world couldn’t be any better. That’s how I thought our rendition would turn out. And it remotely did, for like 30 seconds. . . .http://youtu.be/qEgc_sQFZD4But Read more […]

Yeah. I said it. “I swear, If. One. More. Thing. Happens. THAT DOG IS GOING TO THE POUND!!!!”And then all Hell broke loose.Shelbi started crying and blaming the whole fiasco on Soledad, “It’s all her fault. If she’d just act right. SHE RUINS EVERYTHING!!”Bella started itching uncontrollably, it’s a nervous reaction, AND WAILING. “Mommy, its just not fair. How can you just give him away? We are his family. That isn’t right! You just don’t give a member of your family away!” She’s crying and inconsolable. Read more […]

We were at basketball game yesterday evening. Shelbi was running up and down the court frantically. Jumping for the ball, rebounding like a pro, blocking shots. She was so on it.Bella (7) was in the hallway playing with her friend Rachel (8).Phoebe was crying at the top of her lungs because she wanted to eat a 10 day old bag of Cracker Jacks that had melted together to form on giant piece of stale caramelized popcorn.Soledad, was running around acting like a 4 year old nut.I got up from the stands, Read more […]

I have a flower from my basil plant stuck somewhere between that dangly thing at the back of my throat and the far left recesses of my tongue. Because. . . . . . I had to go to the doctor today. For a physical. Bluk. My stomach was in knots. My vision going blurry. Metaphorically. They made me get on the scale and I almost threw up. Which would have been good, because then I would have weighed less. But since that didn’t pan out, instead I removed every ounce of clothing within the legal Read more […]

Hi! I’m Nicole. And I like food A LOT. I dream about it, write about it, and I relate everything in my life to it. Here you’ll find stories about my four darling girls Shelbi (17), Bella (13), Soledad (11) And Phoebe (8), and how they relate to pasta, eggplant, and chocolate. I have a husband too. He’s a rockstar. Not actually. Just in my heart, that is made of Jello. See, I told you. It all relates.